Tarrytown resident Robert D. Manfred Jr. was chosen as the 10th commissioner of Major League Baseball on Thursday, set to replace Bud Selig, who is stepping down in January after 22 years on the job.
Manfred, who was promoted by Selig to CEO last year, was chosen in a unanimous vote by club owners held near the conclusion of MLB”™s quarterly owners meeting Thursday.
Manfred, 55, first joined MLB as executive vice president of labor relations in 1998 and in the that capacity led the way to three new contracts with the players association without a strike or lockout. There had been eight work stoppages during the previous three decades, including the strike-shortened 1994 season that led to the cancellation of the World Series.
Manfred is a former partner with the Washington, D.C., law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius L.L.P. and has degrees from Cornell University and Harvard Law. He and his wife, Colleen, have four children.
“We have the greatest game in the world, and together, all of the contributors to our sport can make its future even brighter,” he said.
Westchester County now has ties to the commissioners of three of the four major American professional sports. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver grew up in Rye, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly owns a home in Bronxville.
